I was certain I’d fallen asleep, but I found myself awake to noise coming from where Cellestra was sleeping.

Fearing that she might repeat the same actions as yesterday, I climbed up to her bed to investigate.

What I found was, fortunately enough, not a sobbing elf. However, she was thrashing about in her bed restlessly. If I were to guess, she was having a bad dream.

She couldn’t catch a break, could she?

I felt sorry for the elf and carefully skittered closer as she was still flailing her arms around. I got close enough to cast my healing light spell, hoping it would have some effect on the state she was in.

As soon as I cast it, her movements slowed down. Happy with the fact that it did something, I cast it again and then another time until she stopped moving about. After that, she seemed to be sleeping peacefully once more.

Poor Cellestra.

It truly pained me to see her like this. Was this part of her curse?

After waiting for a few minutes to see if she would have a relapse and confirming she was fine for the moment, I skittered back down to the pillow I slept on.

If this was her curse, it would explain why she was trying so hard to find a cure. I knew from experience that not being able to sleep was a curse in itself.

I really didn’t like seeing someone suffering like this, especially as kind a soul as Cellestra. It took a while before I fell asleep again.

____________________________________________________________________________

When I finally awoke, I did so to the sound of sheets next to me. I wasn’t feeling too well, but once I saw Cellestra sit on the side of the bed, it served to make me feel better already.

“Good morning, Kealyna,” She said with a yawn.

I simply waved at her, causing her to smile.

“Don’t know about you, but I’m gonna go grab some breakfast. Hopefully, I’ll have some time before the merchant visits.”

It seemed she was fine. There was no comment on anything that happened last night. Then again, she probably had no idea. I figured I wouldn’t bring it up. All she would do was likely worry about me if I did.

About breakfast, I wasn’t hungry at all. I followed her to the living room and watched her put some leftovers from the night before on a plate. She then retrieved some potions from the cabinets and set those out on the table.

“Can’t wait to get some more flour. I’ve been longing for some good bread,” She said as she sat down.

She started eating and watched me spell out the words, “Good morning.”

It was the earliest opportunity for me to tell her.

“Do you want anything?” She asked.

I gestured no with my front limbs.

“That’s what I thought, figured I’d ask just to make sure. How are you doing anyway?”

“Besides spider part I am doing okay.”

“Yeah,” Cellestra said with a sigh. “I can imagine. I’m surprised you can even say you are fine.”

The elf continued eating in silence for a bit before she asked another question. “If you don’t mind me asking… What did you look like in your previous life?”

The question struck me like a bolt of lightning. I did not expect her to ask something like that. It would make sense to eventually talk about this. All she saw right now was an enormous spider. I could see she wanted to know who was inside of it.

“It’s hard for me to give you a face, you know?” She continued softly. “I mean… you said you don’t want me to see you like you are right now...”

It was exactly what I had expected. I did tell her I’m an elf, after all. This would have to be asked eventually. If anything, I had brought this upon myself. I would now have to take responsibility.

But it was hard…

Remembering my old life hurt. If anything, I’d like to forget it. That was what Elysa had promised me too. How things had changed…

With pain in my heart but determination in my mind, I wrote what I once looked like.

“Was elf like you. Had green eyes and blond hair. Hair was long and very very light. Guess I was about same height as you but is difficult to determine.”

“Yeah, I can see why. Your perspective must have taken some time getting used to.”

“Correct.”

“Long hair?” Cellestra continued. “Didn’t you tell me you were a knight? Was that not annoying with your armor?”

“It was. Had to stuff it inside helm. Took some time every day.”

Cellestra smiled. “That does sound annoying. Why not cut it?”

“Truly? Do not know.”

“I see.”

Knocking on the door interrupted our conversation. Cellestra stood up and brought the potions that she’d arranged on the table with her. Those were obviously her currency for trade. She closed the door behind her after she left the room.

A minute or so later, she re-entered the room with two jute bags, a large and a smaller one. The big bag seemed to be filled with flour, judging from the white powder near its top. The smaller one held a variety of potions.

Cellestra placed the larger bag in one of the cabinets in the kitchen before opening the smaller one and placing the glass vials and tubes on the table.

“Finally got some milk too,” Cellestra said happily as she returned to the hallway and walked back inside with a large glass bottle of white liquid and a small wheel of cheese. “You have no idea how hard it is to get my hands on milk out here.”

To be fair, it looked to me that getting your hands on anything at all out here was a pain. How far was the nearest village even?

“Hmmm, I think I’ll start with making some bread. Do you want to get out, Kealyna?”

I nodded with my pedipalps. I still had some way to go until my next evolution and the sooner I got there, the better. Today, I would try to find a wolf.

And I knew just the place to be.

“Good luck out there today,” Cellestra said with a smile as she opened both doors for me leading to the outside world. “And stay safe.”

I don’t know why, but I liked it when she said those words. It truly had been a long time since I had anyone talk to me that way. It took me back to better days.

I waved at her as I skittered off to the stream, hopeful that I would have better focus today.

There was nothing near the stream besides a couple of frogs. I decided to leave them alone as they were quite a bit smaller than me and would likely not give experience. I climbed up the same tree as yesterday and simply waited.

Sure, I could go out and actively hunt wolves, but why even risk it? I would be safe up here in this tree and I knew this place was visited by wolves quite regularly.

Today was off to a good start. Within ten minutes, two wolves appeared from further upstream. They didn’t seem to stop to drink and kept moving. I waited until they were as close as they would get from my position, took aim, and cast my paralyzing venom bolt on the nearest wolf, striking it cleanly in its flank.

The wolves were startled for a second or two before they took notice of me. Within the short amount of time I had, I already fired a second bolt at the target I hit before.

The injured wolf started to run away, but I saw it slow down soon after, the paralytic venom taking hold. I hoped it would be enough to paralyze it completely.

In the meantime, I had my attention fixated on the second wolf that growled at me.

It ran up to the tree trunk and did something unexpected; it started climbing the tree.

What the hell? Wolves aren’t supposed to climb trees.

I cast the physical barrier spell as the wolf climbed to be safe. I then cast my paralytic venom bolt another time, hitting its back as it climbed. I then felt my reserves run dry as I cast it a last time.

The wolf whimpered but didn’t give up.

Seriously, did I have some sort of pheromone on me that made sure enemies would not give up in trying to kill me or what?

The beast reached the branch on which I was seated and growled once more, its eyes peering into mine.

I cast a fireball at the beast which crept closer to me. I slowly moved back as I saw the fireball impact its snout.

I followed up by casting my venom bolt with lethal venom twice, followed by an ice lance. I noticed that the other wolf that tried to run was now lying on the grass, slowly moving its paws.

If that was the case, this wolf before me should succumb to the paralytic venom soon enough.

Before that happened, though, it lunged at me.